Antonio Manganaro was born in 1842 in Manfredonia. He was a painter, caricaturist and drawing professor. Early designer at the age of 14, he was sent to Naples at the Royal Institute of Art. The expenses were borne by two local patrons, Baron Cessa and Diego Badarò, who awarded him six ducats a month. Manganaro soon passed to painting and nude classes, winning prizes and receiving the praises of his masters, including Maldarelli and Postiglione. Arrested for political conspiracy (his family belonged to Young Italy), he was ordered to leave Naples. In 1859, he was part of the secret or action committee and in 1860, he participated in the revolutionary movements that favored the entry of Garibaldi into Naples.

Following the General, Manganaro participated in numerous feats of arms and was also wounded, obtaining a medal. Taking leave of the Mobile National Guards, Noah's Ark was hired as a caricaturist editor in the newspaper that became very popular. Manganaro then directed another newspaper, The Last Judgment and finally landed at the Stenterello. He was considered to be on a par with the two other leading caricaturists of his era, namely Errico Colonna and Melchiorre Delfico. In 1885, Manganaro obtained the chair of design at the Technical School Giambattista Della Porta in Naples.